“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed”
(2 Cor 4:8)
Background. Umaru graduated from Koranic education at the age of 11. He became an Islamic teacher in charge of a number of students, and was later married and had a daughter. When he was 27, during a school break he was led to Christ by a Christian pastor. His conversion to Christ resulted in immediate consequences. His wife was taken away and given to another man. His daughter was removed with his wife, as she was considered to be Muslim property. Umaru was taken to Islamic court, convicted and imprisoned. Eventually, his Muslim mother was able to get him released from prison after selling the family farm to obtain funding.
Upon his release, Umaru found and joined a Christian discipleship center for six months and afterward relocated to a couple other temporary housing situations. During this period he survived by selling vegetables. A year later he met a local pastor whom Aboki International had previously helped put through school, who assisted him in finding a place to stay.
Umaru decided to visit his home village and was surprised to find his daughter Hannatu (now 9-years old) had left her mother and was living with grandma (Umaru’s mother). Hannatu wanted to live with her father and insisted on accompanying him. Leaving with his daughter was not without complications. The two of them had to escape from the area with villagers in pursuit; and were forced to go into hiding.
Umaru had witnessed to his mother before leaving his village. While in hiding he received a phone message that his mother had left Islam to become a Christian. He returned the call and asked his mother why she had left Islam. She reported that she had seen a vision that had more than confirmed what Umaru had told her, and that she would rather die than turn back. That was the last time he would hear his mother’s voice. Two days later he received news that she had been martyred. He immediately returned to the village (without his daughter) and was shown his mother’s grave. He visited the man who ordered and sponsored his mother’s death and the parents of the boys the man had hired to kill her — and forgave them. The actual killers had already fled the village. He then returned to his daughter.
Umaru subsequently learned to read his regional language (Hausa) in the Roman alphabet and expressed to us his strong desire to go to Bible School. We recently added Umaru to our list of supported students. He is in the first year of a basic education program. His daughter Hannatu has also been enrolled in school.
It is a privilege to be able to participate in Umaru’s story.
